Poinsettia plant Peterstar Marble

ABSTRACT

Poinsettia `Peterstar Marble` is a new cultivar, distinguished by bicolored pink and creamy white bracts, large flowers, strong stems and self-branching characteristics. `Peterstar Marble` is a sport of the red bracted `Peterstar` (U.S. Pat. No. P.P. 8,259) with the same flowering response and cultural requirements. The new plant produces a very desirable branched flowering pot plant. The new plant is resistant to epinasty after being confined to shipping containers. The post-production foliage and bract retention is good.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

This new poinsettia cultivar originated as a bicolored pink on whitebracted sport of `Peterstar` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,259) in mygreenhouse in Skibby, Denmark in 1991. It was induced throughirradiation of vegetative plants with 2500 rads of gamma radiation, andwas selected from about 200 mutants so produced, because of it bicoloredpink on white bracts, large flowers, strong stems, self-branching, anddark green leaves, traits which help distinguish it from otherpoinsettia cultivars, and seemed to make it a desirable plant forcommercial greenhouse production. `Peterstar Marble` differed from itsparent `Peterstar` in having bicolored pink on white bracts as comparedto the bright red bracts of `Peterstar`. `Peterstar Marble` resemblespoinsettia `13-86`. (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,249) but differs in color,growth habit and flowering response. The pink color of the flower bractsis brighter and the relative area of pink color on each bract is largerfor `Peterstar Marble` than for `13-86 `.

The foliage and bract colors and the flowering response of `PeterstarMarble` are distinctly different from known poinsettias of similarderivation. The leaf color of `Peterstar Marble` is darker than `Fispue`(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,315) and more yellow green in color than `Fispla`(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,316). The pink bract color of `Peterstar Marble`is brighter and the flower response time is shorter than either `Fispue`or `Fispla`.

After selection, `Peterstar Marble` was vegetatively reproduced fromstem cuttings for test purposes in Encinitas, Calif. By subjectingclones of this plant to successive generations of vegetativepropagations, it was demonstrated that the distinctive characteristicsof `Peterstar Marble` held true from generation to generation. Grownunder the same greenhouse environment, `Peterstar Marble` had the samegrowth habit and flowering response time as the parent plant`Peterstar`.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

Poinsettia `Peterstar Marble` is illustrated in the accompaning colorphotographs.

The upper photo is a side view of 3 single stem plants per pot in fullflower.

The lower photo is a top view of the same plants showing flower andbract formation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of this new poinsettia asobserved in Encinitas, Calif., U.S.A. during December 1994. Observationswere recorded from flowering plants, grown as 3 single stem plants perpot. The pot was 14 cm in diameter and 11 cm in height. Colordesignations are compared to the 1986 edition of R.H.S. Colour Chart,first published in 1966 by The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England.

THE PLANT

The following chart summarizes some of the differences between`Peterstar Marble` and poinsettia `13-86`.

    ______________________________________                                                        `Peterstar                                                    Plant           Marble`     `13-86`                                           ______________________________________                                        Internode Length                                                                              16-17 mm    20 mm                                             Height          35 cm       40 cm                                             Flower Response 8.5 weeks   9 weeks                                           Blooming date   November 25 November 30                                       (Southern California)                                                         Flowers         Sterile     Fertile                                           Bract Color     RHS 8D and  RHS 155A and                                                      RHS 52B     RHS 51C                                           ______________________________________                                    

Chart II below further illustrate differences between `Peter Marble` andother related cultivars. Comparisons of leaf and bract colors and flowerresponses for `Peterstar Marble` in comparison to `Fispue` and `Fispla`are as follows:

                  CHART II                                                        ______________________________________                                                   `Peterstar                                                                    Marble`  `Fispue`  `Fispia`                                        ______________________________________                                        Leaf                                                                          upper:       darker 147A                                                                              137A-147A 139A                                        under:       147B       137C      137C                                        Bract                                                                         upper-pink:  52B        51C       51B and 51C                                 upper-white: 8D                                                               Flowering Response:                                                                        8.5 weeks  9 weeks   9-10 weeks                                  Leaf Petiole Length:                                                                       4-6 cm     8 cm      8.5 cm                                      ______________________________________                                    

Additionally, the percent of bract surface that is pink is greater for`Peterstar Marble` than `Fispue` and much greater than `Fispla`. Plantheight of the flowering plants is comparable for `Peterstar Marble` and`Fispue` are taller than `Fispla`.

Phenotypically, `Peterstar Marble` resembles its parent `Peterstar`(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,259) in virtually all respects except thosetraits associated with color mutations. The morphology, plant vigor andflowering response times are very similar. The flower bract color of`Peterstar Marble` is bright pink and white. The red bract color of`Peterstar` is near R.H.S. 46B. The leaf petiole color of `PeterstarMarble` is light green, that of `Peterstar` is red.

Origin: Sport of `Peterstar` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,259), inducedthrough irradiation of vegetative plants with 2500 rads of gammaradiation.

Classification:

Botanic.--Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Common name.--Poinsettia.

Cultivar name.--`Peterstar Marble`.

Form: Shrub.

Height: Medium.

Growth habit: As a single stemmed plant, upright and vigorous withself-branching side shoots. The application of a chemical growthretardant may not be needed to restrict height for commercial pot plantproduction. I observed 3 unpinched plants in a pot with an overallheight of 35 cm and an overall width of 45 cm. The bract diameter ofindividual flowers was 30 cm. The compactness of `Peterstar Marble` isdemonstrated by the internode length. The internode length of `PeterstarMarble` was 16-17 mm.

Branching: Axillary branches will develop and terminate in a flowerwithout pinching. However, it is usually desirable to pinch `PeterstarMarble` before flower induction and remove all terminal dominance. Then,all axillary branches will develop uniformly and at a faster rate.

Growth rate: Rooting of stem cutting occurs in 12-18 days underintermitten mist.

Flowering: The plant will flower in eight to nine weeks under continuouslong night conditions and night temperatures of about 16°-18° C. Likeits parent, (`Peterstar`), `Peterstar Marble` will be in full bloom inlate November in the Southern California under natural daylengthconditions.

Foliage: The foliage was clean and uniformly dark green from bottom totop of the plant. The leaves were of medium size, leaf blades tpicallybeing 13-14 cm long and 8-9 cm wide with leaf petioles 4-6 cm long.

Leaf shape.--Typical leaves are ovate with obtuse bases and acuminatetips. Leaf margins are mostly entire. An occasional lower leaf ismodestly lobed on either side of the leaf blade.

Leaf surface.--The upper surface is glabrous and the under surface isslight pubescent.

Color.--Upper side -- Green, slightly darker than R.H.S. 147A. Underside -- Green, near R.H.S. 147B.

Retention.--The foliage retention is good even under low lightintensities in the consumer's home.

Bracts: Generally there were 17-21 bicolored pink on white bracts ofvarious sizes subtending the cyathia. The primary bracts had bladestpically 14-16 cm long and 10-11 cm wide with petioles 2-3 cm long.

Shape.--Primary bracts are ovate with acute bases and acuminate tips.Leaf margins are entire or weakly lobed with 1 small indention on eitherside of the bract. Secondary bracts are ovate to elliptic and haveentire margins.

Surface.--The bract surface is slightly rugose.

Color.--Upper side -- Bicolored: Pink and creamy white on each bract. Anirregular area of pink, near R.H.S. 52B, is located at thecenter of thebracts, usually on either side of the mid-vein. The creamy white color,near R.H.S. 8D, is preipheral to the pink. Under side -- Bicolored: Pinkand creamy white. The patterns of each color mostly mirror the uppersurface. The pink is near R.H.S. 52B and the peripheral white is nearR.H.S. 8D.

Flowers: Generally, 18-22 cyathia (flowers) are present when the plantis in full bloom. Each cyathium is about 6-7 mm long and 5-6 mm wide,green in color, and fringed yellow at the distal end. Usually one, butoccasionally two, yellow nectar cups protrude from the side of eachcyathium. The flower pedicel is also green and about 5 mm in length. Thestamens protruding from the cyathia are pink. The stigmas are greenishwhite and trifurcate. `Peterstar Marble` has abortive anthers, is malesterile and possible female sterile, as seed set has not been seen onthis cultivar. Cyathia retention is about three weeks beyond the timethe flower is fully mature.

Nectar exudate.--Present, abundant.

Seed formation.--No seed set observed.

Fertility.--Flowers may be sterile.

Post production: `Peterstar Marble` is resistant to epinasty after beingconfined to shipping containers. The foliage and bract retention isgood.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct poinsettia cultivar,substantially as herein shown and described, distinguished by its strongstems, bicolored pink and creamy white bracts, self-branching, largeflowers and good leaf and bract retention in the consumer environment.